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Cardinal Zen says Pope should not visit China

July 03, 2014

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the retired Bishop of Hong Kong, has said that Pope Francis should not visit China because he would "be manipulated" by the Beijing regime.

Responding to reports that the Pope might seek an opportunity to visit China, Cardinal Zen told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera that he would advise against the trip. He said that Chinese government officials would prevent the Pontiff from meeting with members of the "underground" Catholic Church, and would look for opportunities to use the papal visit as a means of gaining credibility for government-approved bishops.

Cardinal Zen was responding to a speculative story; there have been no reports from the Vatican about plans for a papal visit to China.

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With the laogais still in existence, arresting and detaining priests and bishops of the one, true Church, the destruction of churches, etc, the visit by the pope would be seen by the communist government as the Vatican and the pope almost endorsing their activities. Years past, previous popes have let various cardinals visit China and have, with the Jesuits and Maryknollers, usurped the power of the Church in China by a "Patriotic" church attempting to replace it.

Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Jul. 03, 2014 10:33 PM ET USA

Wow! I would say Cardinal Zen does not have much faith in this Pope.

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